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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. stock — goods
  3. scale — in music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. swing — to play on
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. swing — in golf
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. stock — shares
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. swing — music
  24. hide — animal skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com